Max Verstappen on pole by 0.2s from Sergio Perez; Ferraris on second row, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell only fifth and sixth; Sebastian Vettel stars in final qualifying in ninth; Watch Abu Dhabi GP live on Sky Sports F1 at 1pm on Sunday, with build-up from 11.30am
Saturday 19 November 2022 20:46, UK
Max Verstappen will start on pole position for the final race of a 2022 season he has dominated after beating Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in an Abu Dhabi GP qualifying that saw Mercedes' threat fade away.
Mercedes were not able to replicate their Brazil, or Abu Dhabi practice, pace once the floodlights came on at Yas Marina on Saturday and were usurped by Ferrari as Red Bull's closest challengers - though the Q3 finale quickly became a head-to-head battle between Verstappen and Perez.
Perez had been faster driver through qualifying but double world champion Verstappen aced both of his laps in the final segment - both of which would have been good enough for pole, and eventually beat the Mexican by 0.2s.
Following the team orders dispute of last week, Verstappen also gave Perez, who is aiming to clinch second place in the championship, a tow to help his lap.
Charles Leclerc, locked on points with Perez in the standings, finished third for Ferrari, just four hundredths of a second off the second Red Bull, and Carlos Sainz will join him on the second row for the final race of 2022, which is live on Sky Sports F1 on Sunday at 1pm with build-up from 11.30am.
In a two-by-two top six, Lewis Hamilton - having escaped a penalty shortly before the shootout over a red-flag scare in final practice - and George Russell could only manage fifth and sixth for Mercedes, 0.8s off.
While Lando Norris was a 'best of the rest' seventh for McLaren, who enjoyed a strong qualifying with Daniel Ricciardo also in the top-10, the star of the shootout was retiring four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Vettel, dodging traffic in the final sector, stormed out of Q1 and then Q2 in his Aston Martin and finished ninth, five places higher than team-mate Lance Stroll.
Fernando Alonso was a surprise absentee from the final shootout while Kevin Magnussen followed up the first pole of his career in Brazil with a Q1 exit in Abu Dhabi, in 16th.
Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying Results
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
4) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
6) George Russell, Mercedes
7) Lando Norris, McLaren
8) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
9) Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin
10) Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren
The talking point heading into the Abu Dhabi weekend was whether Mercedes could challenge Red Bull again after claiming their maiden 2022 win in Sao Paulo, and they got an ideal springboard on Friday by topping the first practice session and then being competitive in the second.
But from the first lap to the last in Saturday's shootout, Mercedes were nowhere.
"I just heard today is World Toilet Day, so I think that's one to put in the toilet," team boss Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1.
"I think we just didn't get the job done. We went backwards and they (Ferrari) did a little step forward."
Mercedes say the Yas Marina circuit was thought to be one of their worst of the season but still expected much more than a near full-second deficit, with the W13 losing half a second on the straights and not making up enough time in the corners.
"We thought that this would be a difficult race, but through the weekend so far we weren't looking like we were eight tenths down, so a bit of a surprise in qualifying to be so far behind them," added Hamilton.
He added: "Bouncing is back with a vengeance, and that's definitely losing us time."
Mercedes will hope their high-downforce setup aids tyre management in the race, although Red Bull certainly go into the finale as favourites.
Perez looked to be the man to beat through Q1 and Q2 before Verstappen - who had been unhappy with his car and had a reliability issue in the garage at the start of Q3 - provided another reminder of his immense talent.
"I'm very happy that both cars are on the front row," said Verstappen, moving on from Red Bull's team order row. "Because of course we want to win the race, but we also want to finish second with Checo in the championship, so that's definitely a great start before tomorrow.
"I still expect it to be a a good battle tomorrow, but at least we have both cars there and we can do what we want."
8:55am: Abu Dhabi F2 Feature Race
11:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Abu Dhabi GP Build-up
1pm: THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP Reaction
4pm: Ted's Notebook
5pm: Abu Dhabi GP Highlights
